Flying Mecha

The vehicle rules are entirely appropriate for ground cars and other normal modes of transportation; however, even a clumsy mecha is more maneuverable than a normal vehicle.

On the ground, mecha move as characters. They can turn at any time, move in any direction, and stop on a dime. In the air, though, they are more limited. Most flying mecha have to s low down to make a turn, and many are limited to fairly wide turns and must maintain a minimum forward speed. Each flying mecha has a maneuverability rating, as shown on Table: Flight Maneuverability. A mecha’s flight systems determine its maneuverability.

Minimum Forward Speed: If a flying mecha fails to maintain its minimum forward speed, it must land at the end of its movement. If it is too high above the ground to land, it falls straight down, descending 150 feet in the first round of falling. If this distance brings it to the ground, it takes falling damage. If the fall doesn’t bring the mecha to the ground, the operator must succeed at a Pilot check (DC 20) to recover. Otherwise, it falls another 300 feet. If it hits the ground, it takes falling damage. Otherwise, it has another chance to recover on its next turn.

Hover: The ability to stay in one place while airborne.
Fly Backward: The ability to fly backward.
Reverse: A mecha with good maneuverability uses up 5 feet of its speed to start flying backward.
Turn: How much the flying mecha can turn after covering the stated distance.
Turn in Place: A mecha with good or average maneuverability can “spend” some of its speed to turn in place.
Maximum Turn: How much the mecha can turn in any one space.
Up Angle: The angle at which the mecha can ascend.
Up Speed: How fast the mecha can ascend.
Down Angle: The angle at which the mecha can descend.
Down Speed: A flying mecha can descend at twice its normal flying speed.

Between Down and Up: An average, poor, or clumsy mecha must fly level for a minimum distance after descending and before ascending. Any flying mecha can begin descending after an ascent without an intervening distance.

Table: Flight Maneuverability
Maneuver	Perfect	Good	Average	Poor	Clumsy
Minimum forward speed	None	None	Half	Half	Half
Hover	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Fly backward	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Reverse	Free	–5 ft.	—	—	—
Turn	Any	90°/5 ft.	45°/5 ft.	45°/5 ft.	45°/10 ft.
Turn in place	Any	+90°/5 ft.	+45°/5 ft.	No	No
Maximum turn	Any	Any	90°	45°	45°
Up angle	Any	Any	60°	45°	45°
Up speed	Full	Half	Half	Half	Half
Down angle	Any	Any	Any	45°	45°
Down speed	Double	Double	Double	Double	Double
Between down and up	0 ft.	0 ft.	5 ft.	10 ft.	20 ft.